Breastfeeding Questions..... Please Help! ?

Question

I'm a first time mom and my first time breastfeeding and its confusing. So I have a few questions and wanted to ask some experienced moms.

Question #1. If I pumped and my baby (she is 3 weeks old) did not eat enough and got hungry as soon as I finished pumping, can I give her the milk i just pumped in a bottle??

Question #2. Dose it mean I don't have a lot of milk if my newborn empties it out within 10-15 minutes of eating?

Question #3. How do you know when your completely empty when your newborn is eating or when your pumping?

Question #4. How many women pumped there boob empty after each time there baby ate. And if you didn't did you have any side effects?

Questions #5. When your feeding your newborn your breast milk from a bottle how do you know how much to give her?

Answer 1

1. Your b*****s have enough milk for your baby.  Why are you pumping? Not judging, just a question.  At three weeks, it is better for her to have milk from your breast, and try not to feed her from a bottle so she doesn't get nipple confusion.  If she's crying directly after a feeding which she has pulled away from, maybe she's not still hungry.  Maybe she needs to burp again or is in some sort of discomfort.

2.  10 to 15 minutes is a great amount of time for a newborn to be actively suckling.  Just because you aren't seeing milk doesn't mean there's no milk coming out, your baby is getting what she needs.

3.  Your breast will stop producing milk into a pump before you're technically empty.  If you pump until no more milk comes out, but then put your baby to your breast, she will get milk.  It's just a biological fact.  

4.  I didn't pump every time, I pumped (and still do) in the morning.

5.  A three week old needs 2 to 3 ounces every 2 hours.  

Good luck!

Answer 2

If you pump out some extra milk and think your baby is still hungry, by all means give her the pumped milk.  I actually pumped exclusively for my daughter so I would know how much she was eating.

It could mean you're not making a lot of milk, or it could just mean that your baby is eating it really fast. If you are getting more milk out after you feed when you pump, I think your baby might just be eating to satisfaction.  If you're worried about your milk supply...remember that your body will make as much as you use, so pumping will help that.

I agree with the other answers that you're never completely empty, just the fore milk is gone.  I would say when the pumping slows to almost nothing or you can't hand express much.

Like I said before, I almost exclusively pumped, and I pumped until my boob was empty every time I had enough time.  There aren't any side effects other than remember you make as much milk as you use, so if you're getting more than you use out, your body is going to keep producing at that level and it can get uncomfortable to be that full.

When you're feeding your baby from a bottle, give her as much as she wants.  Its "on demand until satisfaction"...meaning feed her when she wants to be fed, and feed her until she is full.  

Answer 3

Question #1: Sure you can! If the baby is hungry, go ahead and feed her. She will let you know when she is full. At this early, you can't feed them enough.

Question #2: It may be that your milk is still adjusting. As babies drink more, your body produces more. So if last week she was eating a half of an ounce less, and this week a half of an ounce more, your body may still be transitioning into producing more. Don't worry too much about it-you're body will adjust.

Question #3: It is hard to tell when your baby is latched, but your breast tissue will be soft, not hard. When you are pumping, your milk will slow down to only a few drops. Just out of opinion, I don't think you can ever be fully empty.

Question #4: I did pump after my daughter was finished to reduce pressure. It helped, but I started to produce more milk that my daughter wouldn't eat. I eventually had to stop, as there was more than enough, and our freezer was full. If you do not pump, the only side effect is sore b*****s, but that will ease away, as you will begin to only produce the amount your child needs.

Question #5: I truly did not know the answer to this when my daughter was that young. I still don't think I do. We fed her about 2-3 ounces every 2 hours. But, honestly, I used yahoo answers to answer that, and read what other Moms were doing. It was really helpful, and I didn't feel stupid asking the question, as no one was really judging me.

No one knows this stuff right off the bat. I don't know if you ever really know! It is just trial and error. You are a good Mom, and you are doing your best with a new baby. That is all you can do.

Hang in there, Mom!

Answer 4

1. There is nothing wrong with giving her breast milk that you have just pumped. If she is hungry, feed her. If your b*****s are empty because you just pumped then definitely give her what you pumped.

2. No, it means that he or she is an efficient breast feeder which is great. Trust me, you would rather that than be struggling every single time with getting a decent latch that allows baby to even get anything.

3. Your breast will be very soft to the touch and it will just feel very relieved compared to when you are engorged. Also the baby may stop feeding if he or she is not getting much anymore...though he or she may not, if it is comfort sucking. The milk replenishes very quickly anyways.

4. I did, but not until a good 8 weeks in. When I didn't, there was no bad side effect from it. Many women don't ever pump at all.

5. Start out trying X amount. If she wants more, you can always give her more. If she wants less, that is fine too. You can save it for another feeding as long as it is in the fridge no longer than 24 hours and you don't warm it up more than once. But give her what she wants - she won't overeat, and she will eat as long as she is hungry.

Answer 5

Well your breast is never actually empty, as long as ur baby sucks there will be a trickle of hind milk which is very rich in calories

The 'empty' sensation you get after feeding her for 15 minutes just means that she has finished all the fore milk and has started on the hind milk

Why are you pumping at this stage? Is it necessary?

If not then give it up cos it will confuse your milk supply

If you need to feed your baby breast milk from a bottle then just feed her until she doesnt want anymore, you dont meed to measure it

And you definitely dont need to pump after you finished feeding your baby, your body needs to adjust to the amount the baby is eating and if you keep pumping more then it will keep making more

Answer 6

Yes, you can pump and give her the milk right after. Many do this because there nipples are sore from breast feeding and the pump feels better.

As long as you are getting 2oz to 4 oz at each pumping all is good. (every 4 hours)



Drink, eat and sleep as well as you can and things should be fine with producing milk.

If you empty there are no real bad side effects. But you will produce more if you keep it up. Your body will just think she needs more.